North Otago 2002 Season
Still getting over the loss of the 2001 Division 3 NPC final against South Canterbury, North Otago set out to play harder, faster, and more superb rugby in 2002, And that is exactly what they did. Starting their season off with a Hanan Shield match against Mid Canterbury, winning the game 43-16. For the first match of the NPC season they played West Coast. North Otago hardly let the coasters have the ball and eased to a 60-6 victory. South Canterbury had the home advantage for the next match but North Otago were still haunted by the memories of 2001 and it showed, North Otago sealing the game 39-9 and also taking the Lochore Cup off them. Back home with the shields and cups, North Otago showed Buller who was boss and a 38-15 win was created. A trip up to Waikanae to play Horowhenua-Kapiti was good for the boys and even better was the 40-0 at the end of the 80 minutes. Back home for their next two games and sitting nicely at the top of the standings they had nothing to worry about. Wanganui tried but failed to win, North Otago running away with the game 73-7. Poverty Bay came and went with nothing, scoring five tries but still not good enough losing to North Otago 49-32. Masterton was the next venue for North Otago against Wairarapa-Bush But the locals were unable to cause an upset North Otago winning 27-14. A Quick trip to Taupo to play King Country and almost repeating their last games score winning 27-16. So North Otago were into the semi finals. And again having to play South Canterbury in a final. But North Otago provided way to strong winning the match 58-10. So North Otago secured a home final and had to play Horowhenua-Kapiti. With conditions not quite what players and fans had hoped for, North Otago started pulling.Horowhenua-Kapiti tried to get back in the game but North Otago were playing a higher grade of rugby and when the referee blew his whistle to end the match, North Otago had won the title they had been waiting more than four years to get, winning the match 43-19.
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